Attorney General lodges appeal to quash Hillsborough inquest verdicts

The families of the 96 victims have campaigned tirelessly to have the original coroner's verdict of accidental death quashed, and are now a step closer to success

The Attorney General Dominic Grieve has announced that an application to the High Court to quash the original verdicts of accidental death for the 96 who died at Hillsborough overturned has been made.

The families of the victims have campaigned tirelessly against the original ruling and, having reviewed the evidence, the Attorney General believes they have a strong case.

The decision comes in the wake of the recent report on the 1989 tragedy which revealed a cover-up attempting to shift the blame to the victims. Mr Grieve announced in October that he would make an application for fresh inquests after reviewing the evidence, and he has now announced that process has begun.

“I believe that the case for the High Court to quash the original inquests is a good one," he said.

“My application has now been lodged with the Court. It is my intention to appear to argue the case at the hearing that will take place in the High Court.”

More than 105,000 people have signed a petition to have a swift fresh inquest into the death of Kevin Williams, one of the victims of the tragedy, as his mother, Anne, is suffering from cancer. And she took to Twitter upon hearing the news.

"Just received email the Attorney General is sending kevins case to the divisional courts seeking a new inquest his death,” she said.